Letter To Our Children

Hello friends!

The New Testament tells us Jesus was entirely free from sin, which means much more than Jesus never disobeying the law; it also means He was glad to obey it.

By nature, human beings will not willingly obey God’s truth; sometimes, this fight boils over into full-blown hatred of God’s law. Paul says this: The mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so (Romans 8:7).. Not so with Jesus. He loved His Father, which included loving to obey Him with all His heart, soul, mind, and strength.

Temptation

Hebrews 4:15 says Jesus was tempted in every way but without sin. What this means, and this is amazing, is Jesus faced every type of temptation we face—temptations to do the wrong thing for the wrong reasons, the temptation to hate others, not to do our duty, to cut moral corners, to be less than fully loving, holding back forgiveness, not being sympathetic, only being self-protective and self-pitying, etc.

What does this mean for you and me? At least two things. First, we have in Jesus one who is able to sympathize with our weakness (Hebrews 4:15). Second, this reveals the most basic wisdom: trust the character of God, who has suffered and died in Jesus Christ for you and, therefore, will not hold back anything needed for your highest joy.

Salvation

We will never face the highest temptation known, but Jesus did. Through the agony of the cross, Jesus fought temptation and resisted all the way to His death.

Without Jesus' sinlessness, our salvation would have been impossible. Had He not been a lamb without blemish or defect (1 Peter 1:19), His death would not have meant anything. He would also have needed a savior.

Remembering

Sometimes, the simplest things are the most powerful. Consider the wheel. Its simple design benefits transportation, agriculture, machines, electronics, and energy. Try thinking of a world without a wheel!

For a moment, think of where we would be if Jesus had given in to just one tiny sin in the 33 years He lived on this earth. We may give in 33 minutes, but because of Jesus, this will always be true: in Christ, we have victory over the world, death, sin, and the devil. It doesn't matter how small and weak we are. Jesus is our salvation.

Jesus! What a friend for sinners!
Jesus! Lover of my soul;
Friends may fail me, foes assail me,
He, my Savior, makes me whole.

                        Jesus, What A Friend for Sinners.

May God bless you and help in all things, great and small.

Pastor Joe